By Dave Gragg A wheel ditcher digs a trench more than 5 feet deep as another crew a couple of miles down the line puts 42-foot sections of pipe next to the trench. Behind the pipe-stringing crew, another crew bends the pipe joints so they match the profile of the ground and fits into the […]

By Dave Gragg Recent changes in the Quay County Fairgrounds have not set well with the Quay County Fair Board. Representatives of the board, including President Tommy Thompson and Vice President Eric Rusk, asked the Quay County Commission to provide the board with a key to the fairgrounds. County officials recently changed the locks on […]

By Dave Gragg Finding enough natural gas to make digging a well worth the while isn’t the problem around Tucumcari, said Rick Partain. “Geologists think there’s 30 to 40 years worth of natural gas in the Tucumcari Basin,” he said. “That’s a long time.” The trick is to get the natural gas to market. That’s […]

By Dave Gragg All the experts agree: Eastern New Mexico is running out of water. But there is a solution: It’s more than 87 miles long and will cost more than $200 million to build. If the Ute pipeline ever becomes reality, the region’s water crisis could be a century away, rather than just decades. […]

By Claire Bushey In the Sandia Mountains community of Madrid near Albuquerque, lack of water translates to lack of toilets. The New Mexico town with its population of 149 attracts a number of tourists due to its shops and galleries. But because of extreme water conservation measures, it only has four businesses with toilets available […]

By Gary Mitchell Could water shortages produce ghost towns throughout eastern New Mexico any time soon? It’s possible. “We do have the prospect of ghost towns in the future with the Ogallala Aquifer drying up,” said Lee Tillman, executive director of Eastern Plains Council of Governments. “Elida, for example, is at risk because they don’t […]

By Gary Mitchell One good thing about having to drill so deeply for water in this region is that it helps ensure its purity, water experts say. The primary water source for this area is the Ogallala Aquifer, which is accessed by drilling 300 to 400 feet, depending on location. “Because of that, you don’t […]

By Haley Rice Editor’s note: The following are profiles of movers and shakers in the world of water — from the man who dug the first wells on the Llano Estacado to the high-profile voices in the ongoing debate about the future of our water supply. Although each presents a different solution to the problems […]

By Claire Bushey In New Mexico, water is such a precious resource it naturally follows that many people and organizations devote their efforts to researching and managing it. The two major state organizations that control water-related matters are the New Mexico Office of the State Engineer and the Interstate Stream Commission. Separate government agencies, they […]

By Gary Mitchell Most experts agree Clovis’ main water supply is low in chemicals that could cause major health problems. But it is not problem free. “The water in the Clovis area is a little high in naturally occurring fluoride. And it can do some cosmetic discoloration on teeth,” said Robin Casale, regional water quality […]